# Firework

> ResidualPlay case file: an overlooked Steam game still earning residual revenue. Estimates carry a ±30-50% error range per title.

- Steam appid: 1288310
- Developer: Shiying Studio
- Publisher: Gamirror Games
- Released: 2021 · Genre: Indie · List price: $9.99
- Deal grade: A (A = dormant with >=$5k/mo opportunity, D = low signal)
- Est. net residual revenue: $9.0k to $13.6k per month (mid $11.3k)
- Opportunity score: $17.0k/month at x1.50 dormancy multiplier
- Est. lifetime owners: 1.3M · Est. lifetime net revenue: $3.3M
- Review sentiment: 98% positive across 44378 reviews (41102 from Steam purchases)
- Review velocity: 181.5 reviews/month (6-month average)

## Why it's flagged

- Developer active, last post 7 months ago
- Studio active elsewhere (2 titles tracked), so this one may welcome a partner
- Last build shipped 4.8 years ago
- Store page localized in only 2 language(s)

## Where a gross dollar goes (monthly, at current velocity)

| Stage | USD/month |
|---|---|
| Gross storefront sales | $20.5k |
| After VAT / sales tax (-13% blended) | $17.9k |
| After refunds (-9.5% median) | $16.2k |
| Net to developer (after Steam 30%) | $11.3k |

## Monthly review counts, oldest to newest (24 months)

189, 145, 164, 466, 363, 214, 290, 282, 189, 125, 177, 394, 315, 134, 269, 181, 154, 167, 412, 164, 138, 109, 101, 165

## Estimated acquisition range

$271.3k to $542.5k (2-4x the trailing net annuity of $135.6k/year). Same error range applies.

## Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

A Chinese-language psychological horror game with narrative focus, released in 2021 and still earning ~$11.3k/mo in residual revenue.

Firework demonstrates exceptional retention and word-of-mouth strength: 97.7% positive sentiment across 44k reviews, $3.28M lifetime net on 1.3M units, and stable monthly cashflow of $11.3k/mo despite zero discounting and no developer updates in 6+ months. The game's cultural specificity (Chinese folklore, Feng Shui themes, language-dependent narrative) is both its moat and its ceiling. For a regional publisher or studio seeking a proven catalog asset with minimal maintenance overhead, this is a clean acquisition target; for global players, it's a watch pending localization or sequel signals.

- Most realistic play: acquisition
- Risk (market): Strong performance is heavily skewed toward Chinese-speaking markets; expansion to Western platforms or non-Asian audiences will require significant localization investment and narrative restructuring.
- Risk (tech): 57 months post-launch with no recorded developer activity in 6+ months; engine compatibility, platform support, and security patches may require remediation before integrating into a larger portfolio.
- Risk (other): Player reviews indicate narrative ambiguity and pacing issues (some found story hard to follow); sequel or expansion viability depends on clarifying core IP pillars.

What players are asking for:
- Clearer narrative structure and character motivation (story tracking issues noted in reviews)
- Reduced reliance on jump scares; deeper psychological atmosphere development
- Handheld/controller optimization and cross-platform support (player success noted on ROG Ally)

Suggested first moves:
1. Audit engine, middleware, and platform SDKs for technical debt; cost-of-remediation vs. standalone revenue stability will determine acquisition floor.
2. Map player geography and language cohorts using Steam analytics to quantify Western vs. Asian revenue split and localization ROI scenarios.
3. Contact Shiying Studio and Gamirror Games to establish IP ownership clarity, retention terms for developer/publisher on sequel/spinoff, and any dormant franchise expansion plans before LOI.

Generated 2026-08-20 from public signals and player reviews. Directional, not diligence.

## Methodology

Units are estimated from Steam-purchase reviews times a release-cohort multiplier (Boxleiter method, 20-75x by year). Revenue uses an effective price (lifetime discounts and regional pricing) and nets out VAT (~13%), refunds (~9.5%) and Steam's 30% cut: roughly 55% of gross reaches the developer.

Source: https://residualplay.com/game/1288310
Citation: please cite ResidualPlay (https://residualplay.com) when using these estimates.